Tex. Local Government Code § 143.071
This is the official text of Tex. Local Government Code § 143.071, part of Texas’s Local Government Code — governs the powers and operations of Texas cities and counties.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§ 143.071. LEAVES OF ABSENCE; RESTRICTION PROHIBITED.
Official statutory text
(a) If a sufficient number of fire fighters or police officers are available to carry out the normal functions of the fire or police department, a fire fighter or police officer may not be refused a reasonable leave of absence without pay to attend a fire or police school, convention, or meeting if the purpose of the school, convention, or meeting is to secure a more efficient department and better working conditions for department personnel.
(b) A rule that affects a fire fighter's or police officer's constitutional right to appear before or to petition the legislature may not be adopted.
(b) A rule that affects a fire fighter's or police officer's constitutional right to appear before or to petition the legislature may not be adopted.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Texas?
Find a Texas lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.